L'imprévu
by ShadowBlazer
Summary: She's been hunting for a long time. Not for food, treasures, or even the truth. No, this search is in her memories, where she'll find what she longs for: the answer to how it came to be.


The storm clouds crackled overhead as rain pelted the earth as if in sorrow. Her silvery-white hair was plastered to her skull, her black robes drenched, but she cared no more than if a fly had landed on her shoulder. Reaching out her fingers, long gone numb, she traced over the engraved letters on the stone, her own sorrow mixing in with the weeping rain. So long ago...it was just so long ago.

_So long __ago..._

A sword ripped through the sky, displaying with ease the power of its wielder before falling down clumsily down to the earth, narrowly missing its owner's foot. The owner of the sword cursed before attempting to lift up the heavy blade again.

"When are you going to give up on that?" queried the young girl sitting nearby on a worn, stone wall. "You keep swinging it but it doesn't seem to get better." She eyed the katana critically.

"It's not like I'm going to get better overnight," snapped the other exasperatedly. Lifting up the blade, she traced her fingers over the marked carvings on her sword. "It's going to take a while for me to get any good and besides, I just became a swordswoman recently." She slid it back into its sheath. "You haven't even chosen your job yet."

The other girl cringed, knowing that she was right. "I just haven't decided yet, that's all." she replied, telling a half-truth. "Besides, I'm not like you. I haven't been training since I was a child." Noticing the look on the older girl's face, she continued on. "We can't ALL be a swordsman, Llyre." Hopping off the wall, she started towards the bustling, noisy streets of Prontera, leaving the subject behind her. "Coming?"

Llyre frowned before following close behind, her hand ready on her new weapon. Merchants crowded the streets, taking more than half of the walking space on the cobbled pavement. "They should really do something about the venders around here," grunted Llyre as she squeezed around a particularly large dealer shouting out his stocks to her as she went by.

"Or you could just lose the armour," the other replied, eyeing the bulky mail around the swordsman. "Forget I said anything then," she said, seeing the appalled expression on her companion's face. "So, where are we heading?"

"I'm heading to the west of Prontera to meet Kyra," The swordsman said as she bent down to peer at a merchant's ware.

"Kyra?" She turned back to look at Llyre as her eyes lit up. "We haven't seen her since we were little. How is she?"

"Not sure," Llyre gazed out over the heads of the venders. "She sent word that she wanted to meet us again and hoped that we could travel together." She stared hard at the younger girl. "I'm going to pick her up while you find a job," Llyre said, walking by the now sullen girl. "If you get desperate, you can always become a merchant." she suggested as a rock narrowly missed her ear. Sending back a scornful look, she blended into the bustling crowd, leaving the other to her swirling thoughts.

"Stupid Llyre," muttered Teiya, "making me go and get a job." Glancing from side to side, she casually passed the looming fountain in the centre of Prontera square. "Maybe the Church can help me decide."

The empty eyes of the stone gargoyles seemed to be leering at her as she passed quickly under their gaze, their granite bodies poised for attack. Drawing a sudden gasp, she stood at the open wooden doors while she stare at the church's impossibly high ceilings with brilliantly rich paintings emblazoned on their walls and arches. The massive hall stretched farther than she could see with colossal columns heavily lavished with precious jewels upholding up the behemoth dome. And all Teiya could say was:

"Holy crap, this place is huge!" Her cry echoed infinitely to the ends of the Church.

"How blasphemous." Teiya spun around as a tall priest approached her. His fair hair was swept to the side and covered half of his face, giving him an enigmatic air. "Should you be saying those words in the House of God?" he said, with his lips curling up into a mischievous smile, although he tried to appear stern.

"Forgive me, Father, for I could not think of anything else to say," she stammered, hectically blessing herself. The priest peered down at her solemnly, struggling to contain an impulse to laugh.

"Do not utter those words in here again," he said gravely. Pulling her frantic arm away from her face , he said in a gentler voice, "And besides, you're doing it wrong. It's up, down, left, then right."

"Oh, sorry." she said lamely, practically burning a hole in the floor with her embarrassment.

"Why have you come here, my child?" His kind voice prompted her to glance up shyly.

"Father, I need a job."

"Well, the church always needs a window washer."

"No, Father. I mean, I need to find my calling in life." She turned around to look at the busy city before her, its streets gleaming with possibilities. "I don't know what to do."

Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, the priest pondered hard for a while before replying, "Perhaps I should send you to Father Rubalkabara. Maybe he can help you."

"Father Rubalkabara?" She perked up at the name. "Who is he?"

"He is a man who originally went out to the savage jungles to spread the name of the Lord. As of now, he awaits for the arrivals of acolytes sent to him for their test. He can probably help you." He walked outside onto the numerous stone steps and pointed to a place past the horizon. "If you travelled for two days in the northwest direction, you will find him at a great ruin." he finished, turning to her. A heavenly glow emanated from him as the light of the setting sun was cast upon the priest. "Go now and find what you seek there." His blue eyes seemed to burn with an incandescent light. Enrapt by this spectacle, the young girl found that she could do nothing but gawk as he began to climb towards her. "Go and see what God has planned for you." he said softly as he passed by her, disappearing into the darkness of the Church.

"Wait!" she exclaimed, finally out of her stupor. "What is your name?"

He paused a moment before twisting slightly around with a smile, half his body shrouded in shade. "Father Vincent." he replied, before vanishing altogether into the shadows.

"Thank you, Father Vincent!" Teiya called into the shadows. Taking one last glance at the looming Church, which had been transformed into an intimidating, dark, and empty building by the half-light, she fled down the stairs under the gargoyles' judgement and did not pause until there was a great distance between her and the Church. "I'm glad I don't have to work there." she shuddered as she made her way back into Prontera centre where her friends were waiting for her and her now-found quest.


End file.
